


Roses and Flame

by serpentheo



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Destiel - Freeform, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Gay, Gay Sex, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-07 08:26:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16850590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serpentheo/pseuds/serpentheo
Summary: No one really knew how to describe color to someone who had never experienced it before. It was a surreal experience but enjoyable nonetheless. Dean’s mother told him about color when he was a child, and he always wanted to know more.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is a little bit of insight and explaination to the AU. The next chapter will definitely get much deeper into the story. I hope everyone enjoys this!

No one really knew how to describe color to someone who had never experienced it before. It was a surreal experience but enjoyable nonetheless. Dean’s mother told him about color when he was a child, and he always wanted to know more.

“Mom, when did you first start seeing color?” he asked as he rubbed his sleepy eyes.

 His mother sat on the edge of his bed and ran her fingers through his hair affectionately. “In 1973, I met your father. Something about him drew me in. He was different than everyone else. He could take me away from the life I hated. And he did it. He gave me everything I wanted and more,” she said while staring at nothing in particular. She was obviously going through memories in her head.

 Dean didn’t understand what she meant when she said “the life she hated,” but he was encaptivated otherwise. “You mean Dad made you see color?” he asked.

 His mother nodded. “The first time he kissed me everything slowly started changing. I didn’t realize what was happening at first until your father mentioned it too. I realized I was seeing color. From what I know, your soulmate is the one who gives you color. There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing color. Well, except when you and Sam were born. I’d give up color for you two.”

Dean smiled and blinked his tired eyes. “Mom, I can’t wait until I can see color,” he said while yawning. He shut his eyes and went to sleep. His mom kissed his forehead gently and turned out the light. Dean dreamt of his soulmate that night.

 

*****

 

Dean spent his early childhood imagining his soulmate almost nonstop. He tried to do anything he could to imagine color. He knew one day he would find his soulmate and share the beauty with someone else.. He imagined waking up in the morning to see his wife making breakfast for him and the kids.

This also caused Dean to carelessly get in and out of relationships in an effort to find his soulmate. His first kiss was in third grade with a girl named Mia. He was extremely hurt when he pulled away and didn’t see color. Mia didn’t see it either.

In highschool, Dean dated almost every girl in the school. He never saw color. He never felt anything sincere for them. Dean’s obsession with color slowly started to fade. He stopped caring about how he felt for people. Except Sam. Sam was the only thing he stayed passionate about.

When his mother died his senior year of highschool, his father grew rather indifferent to the world. He didn’t try like he used to. His smile wasn’t sincere. Dean always looked up to his father, and it hurt him to see his father in such a nasty mental state.

Sam made the mistake of mentioning his mother to his father. “Do you see color too?” he asked. Sam didn’t hold the same obsession with color that Dean held. It wasn’t like Sam to ask about this. His father looked at him like a deer in the headlights, and his eyes welled with tears.

“I did, son,” his father replied. “Until she died, I saw color. I don’t even care if I can ever see it again. She’s who made me experience it. I don’t want to share that with anyone else.”

Dean felt his heart shatter within his chest after hearing this. Your soulmate dies, and you lose the ability to see color. This changed his entire view on the situation. Dean didn’t want to lose it. Dean didn’t want his soulmate to lose it. So he shut himself off to the world completely this time.

 

**********

 

As the boys’ lives continued, Sam met Jess. Dean was unintentionally envious of Sam; Sam could see color. Despite Dean being rather annoyed by the constant explanations from Sam of what a difference color can make, he listened. He hated his brother for finding his soulmate so quickly. He hated his brother for having something he didn’t even fully appreciate. Dean felt like this should be him telling Sam about color.

But he never told Sam how he felt. He never told Sam how he cried himself to sleep feeling empty and unlovable. He never told Sam how he felt like he was the only one in the world without a soulmate. He didn’t tell Sam because it was his job to protect his little brother.

One night, while Sam and Dean were sitting in Sam’s living room drinking a beer together, Sam cleared his throat and took a long swig of beer. “Dean, are you okay?” he asked suddenly.

Dean looked at Sam with wide eyes. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and sighed. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

Sam stared at him for a moment too long. Dean felt the tension in the air. Sam couldn’t know how Dean felt. Dean was always supposed to be the strong older brother. “I don’t know you just seem… off. I’m probably just worried for no reason.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong, Sammy. You’ve been hanging out with Jess too much, she’s turned you into a little bitch.” Both of them chuckled, but Dean knew he hadn’t appeased Sam’s worries.

Sam took another drink then set his beer on the table and rested his hands on his knees. The light from his fireplace illuminated his cheekbones. “I’m going to propose to Jess tomorrow at dinner,” Sam said quietly without looking at Dean.

Dean felt his heart fall to his stomach, but he didn’t understand why. Jealousy? Probably. Dean suddenly felt guilty for immediately feeling jealous of Sam rather than happy for him. Dean forced a smile. ¨Congratulations, Sammy. Let’s drink to that.” Dean raised his glass of beer, and Sam chuckled.

“She hasn’t said yes yet. Don’t jinx it,” Sam replied, but he still raised his glass and clinked them together.

“To you and Jess,” Dean said. He took a drink and attempted to bury his jealousy deep in the back of his mind.


	2. An Interesting Dinner

A waitress set a glass pitcher of water in the middle of the table. A pianist played a soft melody in the background and glasses clinked. Dean took a sip of champagne and slightly grimaced at the expensive scenery. He wasn’t exactly sure how Sam planned to afford dinner, but he always grabbed the opportunity for free food.

Dean watched Sam and Jess whispering to each other and occasionally giggling about God-knows-what. He chewed on his bottom lip anxiously and inspected the rest of the patrons. He closely watched the many couples showing quite a lot of PDA (possibly a bit too much). Dean decided it was a bad idea to watch people. He noticed Sam messing with the small box in his pocket.

Dean set his napkin on the table and stood up. “I have to use the men’s room really quick,” he said, making an excuse to avoid couples for a while. He walked to the bar in another area of the restaurant and sat down.

“What’ll you have?” a husky male voice asked. The bartender turned around and Dean stared intensely. He observed the bartender. His dark hair fell perfectly, his white shirt hugged his chest in a flattering manner. Dean felt his body temperature rise and his breath hitch. “Sir?” the bartender repeated.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Long day,” Dean said with a grin. “You know what? Surprise me.”

The bartender smiled. Dean noticed his nametag before he turned around; “Castiel Novak.” That name ran off Dean’s tongue beautifully. “How long have you worked here?” he asked. He quickly regretted asking. What kind of icebreaker is that?

Castiel chuckled and set a bottle of beer in front of Dean. The label indicated it was Firestone Parabola. “You seemed like a dark beer kind of gay- I mean, guy,” Castiel said. Dean furrowed his brow, wondering if he heard that right. “I’ve worked here for a year. Never had a customer like you before, though.” Dean swore he saw Castiel wink.

Dean took a drink of the beer Castiel gave him. He was right; this beer was pretty incredible. “How much is this?” Dean asked. He took another drink.

“Doesn’t matter, I’ll pay for it,” Castiel said. Someone sat down at the other end of the bar, and Castiel went to go get them a drink.

Dean decided he should go back to the table, and he took his beer with him. He sat down next to his father. “So much for going to the bathroom, huh?” Sam joked. He looked at the label and his jaw dropped. “Dean, that beer costs fifty dollars a glass.”

Dean’s eyes widened while he was taking a drink. He set the glass down and smirked. “The bartender paid for me.”

“Wow, she must be really into you,” Sam said. Dean felt the confliction rise inside of him once again. Sam cleared his throat. “I, um, have an announcement to make.”

Dean knew Sam was about to propose to Jess. Jealousy burned deep within his chest.

Sam looked into Jess’s eyes deeply. “Jess, we’ve been dating for a little bit over two years, and we’ve known each other longer. We’re about to graduate in a few months, and I know I want to spend my life with you outside of Stanford.” Sam grabbed Jess’s hand and she started laughing while tears welled in her eyes.

“Oh, God, Sam don’t make me cry,” Jess said, but it was obviously too late for that.

Sam pulled the small navy blue box out of his suit jacket and smiled from ear to ear. He sniffed, desperately trying to hide his tears. He got down on one knee and Jess covered her face with her free hand. “Jessica Lee Moore, will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?”

Jess nodded her head quickly and laughed harder. She wrapped her arms around Sam and buried her face into his shoulder. “Yes, yes, of course!”

Dean smiled and took a drink of his beer. He looked over Sam’s shoulder and noticed Castiel standing in the doorway watching him. Dean chewed on his lower lip and looked around the room to find anything else to stare at.

The rest of the night was mostly uneventful. Jess and Sam and Dean’s families ate dinner together. Jess’s parents told the story about the first time they kissed and saw color. Jess’s dad lectured Sam to no end about how to treat Jess well. Everyone shared a good laugh together; except for Dean.

All Dean could focus on was how jealous he was of Sam. He couldn’t stop thinking about that odd (but enticing) bartender. Dean felt very confused about everything. He’s felt emotions for girls like this before, but never for a guy. He wasn’t sure if he was completely okay with this realization.

After everyone finished, they all started heading towards the door while Sam and Jess went to pay. Dean was the last to leave the table. He filled his to-go box with his leftover food, then he suddenly felt a presence near him. He looked up and the bartender’s crotch was uncomfortably close to his face. “Hey, dude, can you backup a little bit?”

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Castiel replied. He stepped back, and that’s when Dean noticed a paper napkin in his hand. “I just wanted to give you something. I hope you enjoyed your night.” Castiel handed Dean the napkin then left without another word.

Dean waited until Castiel was out of sight, and he looked at the napkin. A phone number and Castiel’s messy signature was written on it. Dean sighed and debated throwing the napkin away. But something about this man compelled him. He put the napkin into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and followed the rest of his family outside.

Dean didn’t quite realize so much could change so quickly.


End file.
